Pre-fillable and disposable sippy cup

ABSTRACT

A pre-fillable and disposable sippy cup includes a one piece main body and a dispensing spout that can be easily configured for use by either toddlers or older children.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general art of liquid containersand dispensers, and to the particular field of child and infant feedingcups.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The history of baby and toddler liquid feeding systems has remainedessentially unimproved over a long period of time. The major improvementin baby bottles and toddler cups, formerly manufactured of glass, orother breakable materials, is the replacement of the breakable liquidhousing, relatively recently, by plastic, or other non-breakablematerials.

In the prior art baby bottle systems, the liquid storage “bottle”, orliquid housing, is usually sealed with a flexible latex or siliconerubber nipple. The nipple is usually removably-attached to the bottle bymeans of a threaded collar, which is designed to squeeze the nippleflange against the rim of the bottle. As the baby sucks on the nipple,the liquid in the bottle is removed by the baby's sucking. As the milk,or other liquid, is removed from the bottle, air will enter the bottlethrough the nipple, thereby resulting in an equalization of the pressureboth inside and outside of the bottle, to that of normal atmosphericpressure.

One of the major problems inherent with the prior art liquid feedingsystem, is that the baby also ingests a very large amount of air duringthe difficult process of sucking the milk out of the bottle against theincreasing pressures being developed in the bottle. This then results ina “bloating” of the baby's stomach, with the likelihood of concomitantvomiting of the mixture of ingested milk and large amounts of air. Apartial “solution” to the ingestion of air during sucking, was arrivedat by the use of bottles incorporating disposable, collapsible,polyethylene, or the like, baby bottle liners. However, this has provedto be an expensive alternative, having, as well, its own major problems.Aside from its greater costs, when a bottle utilizing a liner is heldupside down, it drips or leaks profusely—the amount being essentiallyproportional to the size of the nipple liquid outlet. This majordrawback, has led to the need for another, more suitable solution, tothe vexing air-liquid ingestion problem. Another major problem inherentwith the use of the conventional prior art baby bottles, capped by theconventional latex nipple, has been the often uncontrolled spilling ordripping, of large quantities of milk during its use.

As the baby grows into a toddler, the need for a dripless liquidfeeding/training sipping cup becomes quite obvious. The previouslydesigned prior art toddler sipping cups, have been usually constructedof a non-breakable plastic, or the like, material, incorporating atightly-fitting, removable cup sealing lid. The cup's sealing lid, maybe either of the ‘snap-on/off’ or ‘screw-on/off’/version. Generally, theprior art's cup sealing lid, incorporates a ‘nipple’- or ‘spout-like’liquid outlet protuberance, allowing a child to suck or sip out theliquid contents of the cup.

Further, the cup's lid is usually vented, by means of air holes, inorder to provide an adequate sucking or sipping liquid flow. The childthen places the ‘nipple’ or ‘spout’ in his/her mouth, and then tilts thecup, and sucks or sips, in order to provide the desired liquid flow.However, this prior art design generally also has resulted in thedripping or ‘leaking’ of large volumes of liquid, when the liquid outletis not located in the child's mouth.

Drinking cups for young children often include a cap with an aperturespout and a valve to prevent fluid from being spilled. However,traditional valve youth drinking cups are difficult and/or timeconsuming to clean such that the valve can potentially become unsanitaryand/or not fully functional. This problem is compounded by the fact thatsome mothers forget or are too busy to spend the time necessary tothoroughly clean the valve, or do not realize how important a thoroughcleaning is. Another problem is that, in many existing cups havingvalves, it is difficult to tell if or when their valve(s) is properlycleaned, particularly when the valve is positioned inside of a concaveregion in their cap where it is difficult to see and reach. There arealso numerous additional functional requirements that are difficult toachieve simultaneously. For example, the valve must be fast acting inorder to prevent spillage, yet must allow fluid to flow easily out thespout to a young child using the drinking cup. Also, the drinking cupmust reliably prevent leakage, yet must also operate equally well atmultiple angles. Also, it is preferable that the valve allow fluid stillin the spout to redrain back into the drinking cup so that small spillsdo not occur. In the cost competitive industry of products for youngchildren, the drinking cup must be mechanically non-complex with aminimum number of pieces to minimize cost. Where the cap and valve canbe disassembled, the loose pieces must be large enough to prevent themfrom being lost and to allow easy reassembly, yet must fit into andoperate in the relatively small interior of a cup sized for a younguser. Further, the reassembly procedure must be apparent from the partsthemselves.

Some known drinking cups have a cap that includes a first valve tocontrol fluid flow out of the spout, and a second valve to control airflow into the drinking cup. However, this valving arrangement increasesthe number of pieces, doubles the sanitation and misfunction problems,and adds significant expense to the product. Another problem is thatthese known valving arrangements do not work properly if either of thevalves becomes plugged or partially inoperative, which is more likely tooccur with two valves than with a single valve.

Therefore, there is a need for a cup that is versatile as well as easyto use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by apre-fillable and disposable sippy cup which includes a one piece mainbody having thereon a dispensing spout that can be easily configured foruse by either toddlers or older children.

Using the sippy cup embodying the present invention will permit sale ofa filled cup in a store and then disposal of the cup after use. Thisavoids the need for an adult to fill a cup before leaving on a trip,while trying to drive, or the like, and then for the adult to clean thecup after use.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention willbe, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe invention, and be protected by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingdrawings and description. The components in the figures are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, likereferenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an infant or toddler sippy cup embodyingthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail of a top for the cup shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a cover for the dispensing spout of the cup shown in FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the presentinvention is embodied in a disposable sippy cup 10 which can be sold instores and which will contain liquid, such as juice, milk, or the likeand which is to be discarded after use. Sippy cup 10 comprises aone-piece main body 12. The one piece nature of the body makes is easyand convenient for a manufacturer to pre-load liquid into the cup andseal it for storage and shipping. The one piece nature of the cup willallow sealing in a manner that prevents bacteria or the like fromentering the cup whereby the storage of the cup will be safe. Stillfurther, the one piece nature of the cup will prevent, or at leastminimize, leakage and spillage during use of the cup. In one form of theinvention, body 12 is plastic.

One piece body 12 includes a first end 14 which is a bottom end when thebody is in use, with the use orientation being shown in FIG. 1. Body 12further includes a second end 16 which is a top end when the body is inuse. A cylindrical wall 20 connects first end 14 to second end 16, and alongitudinal axis 24 extends between first end 14 and second end 16.

A cover 30 can be plastic and is one piece with cylindrical wall 20 andis located on second end 16. Cover 30, wall 20 and second end 14 definea closed chamber 32 in which liquid L is located when the body is inuse. Cover 30 has a liquid exit port 40 defined therethrough. Adispensing spout unit 44 is one piece with cover 30 and is locatedadjacent to liquid exit port 40. Dispensing spout unit 44 includes abody 46 which has a first end 48 which is one piece with cover 30 andwhich surrounds liquid exit port 40. Body 46 further includes a secondend 50 with liquid dispensing holes, such as liquid dispensing hole 52,defined therethrough.

A break line 56 is defined in body 46. Body 46 includes a first portion58 adjacent to first end 48 and a breakaway portion 60 located betweenbreak line 56 and second end 50 of the body. Breakaway portion 60 is onepiece with first portion 58 and is removably attached to the firstportion by the break line. Using the break line to break portion 60 offof portion 58 will remove the first portion from the second portion andleave a dispensing opening 62 in the spout unit through which liquidflows from chamber 32. The dispensing opening is defined by a rim 64which will be exposed when the breakaway portion is removed from thefirst portion. A fluid passage 66 fluidically connects first end 48 ofbody 46 to second end 50 of the body. Removing first portion 58 fromsecond portion 60 removes the liquid dispensing holes so a flow pathbetween chamber 32 and dispensing opening 62 and via opening 40 andfluid passage 66 to the child is formed. This will permit older childrento use cup 10 as well as children who require dispensing holes. Thismakes the cup amendable for use by both infants who require thedispensing holes and older children who do not require those liquiddispensing holes.

A one-piece cover 70 fits over plastic end cover 30 on the first end ofbody 12 and over spout unit 44 and is removably attached to cylindricalwall 20 of the body adjacent to second end 16 of the body. Cover 70further ensures a sanitary cup during storage. Cover 70 has lip 72thereon which is grasped to remove the cover from the body.

A spout unit cover 80 is removably mounted on spout unit body 46 andincludes a pull portion 82 thereon. Cover unit 80 can be used to closethe spout unit after cover 70 has been removed. This will permit the cupto be closed when a child has used only a portion of the liquid storedin the cup.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of thisinvention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except inlight of the attached claims and their equivalents.

1. A disposable sippy cup comprising: A) a one-piece main body having(1) a first end which is a bottom end when the main body is in use, (2)a second end which is a top end when the main body is in use, (3) acylindrical wall connecting the first end to the second end of the mainbody, (4) a longitudinal axis which extends between the first end andthe second end of the main body; B) a cover which is one piece with thecylindrical wall of the main body and which is located on the second endof the main body, the cover, the wall and the second end defining aclosed chamber in which liquid is located when the main body is in use,the cover having (1) a liquid exit port defined therethrough, (2) adispensing spout unit which is one piece with the cover and which islocated adjacent to the liquid exit port, the dispensing spout unitincluding a body having (a) a first end which is one piece with thecover and which surrounds the liquid exit port, (b) a second end with aliquid dispensing hole defined therethrough, (c) a liquid passagedefined through the body of the dispensing spout unit from the first endof the body of the spout unit to the second end of the body of the spoutunit, (d) a break line in the body of the spout unit, the body of thespout unit including a first portion adjacent to the first end of thebody of the spout unit and a breakaway portion located between the breakline and the second end of the body of the dispensing spout unit, thebreakaway portion being one piece with the first portion of the body ofthe spout unit and being removably attached to the first portion of thebody of the spout unit by the break line, (e) a dispensing rim beinglocated at the break line to be exposed when the breakaway portion isremoved from the first portion of the body of the spout unit, the liquidpassage fluidically connecting the dispensing rim in the body of thespout unit to the closed chamber; C) a one-piece cover which fits overthe cover on the first end of the main body and over the spout unit andwhich includes a pull portion that is removably attached to thecylindrical wall of the main body adjacent to the second end of the mainbody; and D) a spout unit cover which is removably mounted on the spoutunit body and which includes a pull tab thereon.
 2. A disposable sippycup comprising: A) a one-piece main body having (1) a first end which isa bottom end when the main body is in use, (2) a second end which is atop end when the main body is in use, (3) a cylindrical wall connectingthe first end of the main body to the second end of the main body, and(4) an end cover which is one piece with the cylindrical wall of themain body, the wall and the cover and the second end defining a closedchamber in which liquid is located when the main body is in use, thecover having (a) a liquid exit port defined therethrough, and (b) adispensing spout unit which is one piece with the cover and which islocated adjacent to the liquid exit port, the dispensing spout unitincluding a body having (i) a first end which is one piece with thecover and which surrounds the liquid exit port, (ii) a second end with aliquid dispensing hole defined therethrough, (iii) a liquid passagethrough the body of the dispensing spout unit from the first end of thebody of the dispensing spout unit to the second end of the body of thedispensing spout unit, and (iv) a break line in the body of thedispensing spout unit, the body of the dispensing spout unit including afirst portion adjacent to the first end of the body of the dispensingspout unit and a breakaway portion located between the break line andthe second end of the body of the dispensing spout unit, the breakawayportion being one piece with the first portion and being removablyattached to the first portion by the break line, (v) a dispensing rimlocated on the body of the dispensing spout unit at the break line, thedispensing rim being exposed when the breakaway portion is removed fromthe first portion and being fluidically connected to the closed chamberof the main body by the liquid passage; and B) a one-piece cover whichfits over the end cover on the first end of the main body and over thespout unit and which is removably attached to the cylindrical wall ofthe main body.
 3. The sippy cup defined in claim 1 wherein the main bodyis plastic.